MONTHS FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATION S AND UNION WORKERS HAVE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER PROPOSED CHANGES TO WAGE AND BENEFIT PACKAGES. AND EARLY THIS MORNING... FAIRPOINT DECLARED TALKS ARE AT AN IMPASSE. WPTZ'S RACHEL KARCZ IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM WITH MORE ON THE DEVELOPEMENTS. RACHEL? THAT'S RIGHT-- THE COMPANY HAS BEEN IN TALKS WITH UNION WORKERS SINCE APRIL AND EARLY THIS MORNING FAIRPOINT ANNOUNCED ITS PLANS TO IMPOSE IT'S FINAL PROPOSAL. WORKERS HELD AN INFORMATIONAL PICKET OUTSIDE THE COMPANY THIS MORNING WHETHER IT WAS A HONK .. NAT OR A WAVE... THE UNION WORKERS PICKETING OUTSIDE FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATION S IN SOUTH BURLINGTON WANT THEIR MESSAGE HEARD. we came out here this morning. We started arriving here around seven thirty just for informational picketing just to kind let the you know, public aware that we are still in this fight and hopefully can avoid any type of work stoppage. FAIRPOINT DECIDED IT WAS AT AN IMPASSE WITH THE WORKERS EARLY THURSDAY MORNING AFTER WEEKS OF NEGOTIATIONS. FAIRPOINT SPOKESPERSON ANGE AMORES SAID ON THE PHONE THE COMPANY IMPOSED A SERIES OF WAGE AND BENEFITS CHANGES. AMORES SAYS LABOR COSTS WERE TOO PRICEY. UNION WORKERS DISAGREE. it's to have good paying jobs in the state of Vermont. They're hard to come by and they want to squeeze us out of this position and you know, you're going to get what you pay for FAIRPOINT RELEASED A STATEMENT THURSDAY LISTING THE CHANGES IT PUT INTO EFFECT.. WAGE RATES FOR CURRENT FAIRPOINT EMPLOYEES WON'T CHANGE. UNION WORKERS WILL NOW GET SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME BENEFIT PLANS.. INCLUDING MEDICAL...AS THOSE MANAGEMENT GETS IT WON'T MAKE ANY MORE CONTRIBUTIONS TO WORKER'S PENSION PLAN ... AND LASTLY, THE COMPANY WILL ELIMINATE RETIREE MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVEN'T YET RETIRED. FAIRPOINT GOES ON TO SAY IN THE STATEMENT IT WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO REACH AN AGREEMENT. IT IMPLEMENTED IT'S PROPOSALS ONLY BECAUSE IT DOUBTED ONE COULD BE REACHED BUT... UNION MEMBERS DON'T THINK THE BARGAINING IS OVER AND UNION LEADERS SAY GOING ON STRIKE IS STILL A POSSIBILITY. i think right now... it's a waiting game... we'd like the company to come back to the bargaining table and you know.. negotiate fairly. UNION MANAGERS I SPOKE WITH TODAY SAY A STRIKE IS A POSSIBLITY ...BUT ARE LOOKING TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM FAIRPOINT IN THE COMING DAYS. LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM.. RACHEL KARCZ...WPTZ NEWSCHANNEL 5. FIRST AT 5